


Court of Seven

by ReedRead0503



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Child Neglect, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Kid Fic, No Incest, Nobility, Reginald Hargreeves' A+ Parenting, Royalty, They all need a hug, Vanya Hargreeves Needs A Hug, royal au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-19
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-03-07 16:05:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18876538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReedRead0503/pseuds/ReedRead0503
Summary: The Kingdom of Umbri has a great leader. King Reginald of the Hargeeves house. But that leader, has only a young illegitimate heir, in need of her own court. So across the lands, he spreads the word he is looking for noble children of a similar age to join her at his castle with the hope of joining the court and gaining both wealth and honor for their own house.





	1. Chapter 1

* * *

 

ALLISON

A young girl of no more than eight years stood in front of an ornate mirror. A woman whose appearance looks similar to the youth stands next to her, holding an obnoxiously glamorous gown. 

Its red color is more vibrant than the droplets of blood humming through her veins, and the modest, but teasing cut, while more suited for a more mature body, looks ravishing.

“Perfection, darling.” The older woman holds the gown closer to her daughter's body. “ That’s what he’s looking for. Perfection. Beautiful on the outside, cunning on the inside. We must present the appearance of a perfect woman.”

The girl lifts her chin higher, and in her reflection, her eyes gleaming with determination.

* * *

 

 

KLAUS

Miles away, a young boy stands in a field. His eyes are closed, and his arms are stretch upwards into the sky almost as if he was reaching out to touch the clouds just millimeters away from his fingertips. 

He is startled out of his reverie by a high pitched yell, echoing across the plain from a simple house. 

“It’s time to go!”

He considers ignoring it. He doesn’t want to leave. 

“Klaus! Now!”

He leaves the field behind, walking toward a battered trunk carrying all of his worldly possessions.

* * *

 

FIVE

The trees fly past, flashes of green rushing past. He is half standing in the saddle, as he tries to outrace his problems.  At home, his mother waits for him. He hasn’t packed yet, and she has given him till the end of the hour before she packs for him. 

But in this forest, the boy can live forever, even if it’s just in the singular moment. 

He isn’t alone in his flight. A girl rides another horse beside him. She is the only one he’s ever met who's been able to keep up with him. But he’s to leave her behind.  It is unbecoming of a Nobel to be seen consorting with a peasant. 

But when he finally leaves his lands, his mother gripping his arm tightly, nothing can stop him from shouting to her. His proposal and Delores acceptance are well worth the finger-shaped bruises his handler gives him in her displeasure. 

* * *

LUTHER

He doesn’t need to pack much, he already lives near the castle. If he needs anything, he’ll be able to write home for it and have it within a day. His issue is trying to figure out a way to impress the king. He is not known for being charismatic, strategic, or well-studied. He comes from a long line of knights, but all he has to show for it is a slightly superior strength. 

He slides on his armor. It’s heavy and hot, but well worth the sacrifice in exchange for how polished, and skilled it makes him look. It takes strength to be as good as he is as swordsmanship. Hopefully, he’ll make his family proud, and the king intrigued. He takes with him a few things, only his sword, lance, a few changes of clothes, and a locket. Inside that locket is a portrait of his parents, finished days before their death. 

* * *

BEN

He sits on a bench in the center of town, his nose buried in a book. He’s waiting for the carriage his mother ordered. She’s too busy running the household and watching over his other siblings to send him off herself. He knows if she could, she would be here. Instead that morning she gave him a basket filled with pastries, a kiss on the forehead, and had the one servant help him get his luggage into town.  He loves his family and is sad to go, but this is an opportunity to big to pass over. A chance to reclaim the family honor and fortune?

So yes, Ben was glad to go. He’s probably going to be the poorest one there, but he’ll be damned if he lets money get in the way of taking care of his family. He may not be strong, or particularly cunning, but his skill is in his intelligence. He will learn every bit of knowledge the world has to offer, and nothing will stop him from claiming his rightful place in the king's court. 

* * *

 

DIEGO

He has tears streaming down his face. He’s desperately clinging to his mother’s side, as she attempts to push him towards the armed guards. If he leaves, who'll protect her from father's rage? He can't go. He just can't. There's little chance he'll survive even an hour without his mother by his side. 

She crouches down, to be eye level with him. 

"My son, I know you don't wish to go, but it is your destiny. A better life awaits far from your father's grip. I have no doubt we'll see each other again."

Her words do little to comfort him. Instead of being soothed, the tears fall harder, and his fists wrapped around her skirt tighten. The lady sighs, but smiles at him, even as tears form in her eyes. 

"Take this, and remember that your mother will always be there to save you." She presses a cloth bundle into his hands and walks away refusing to look back even as he calls out to her. 

* * *

 

VANYA

She hasn’t seen her father in three months. And then, it was for less than ten minutes as he presented at her debut ball. Then he left, leaving her to fend for herself, with only her governess Grace by her side for help. 

Even her company doesn’t count for much though. Grace doesn’t have the political power her father wields to quiet the dirty looks, and whispers that plague her the rest of the night. It’s not as if she can help her birth status. She was doing her best to be more than the ordinary peasant she was raised as, but there is much to learn, and no one to help her.

* * *

 

Somewhere, along a well-trodden path, nailed into a tree is a weathered poster, announcing an official royal proclamation from the king. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-WANTED-

-SIX YOUNG NOBLES BETWEEN THE AGES OF SEVEN AND TWELVE TO SERVE-

-IN THE COURT OF THE PRINCESS OF UMBRI-

-MUST SHOW THE SKILLS AND HONOR REQUIRED -

-OF YOUNG LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-

-INTERESTED NOBILITY SHOULD DELIVER PARTICIPANTS TO THE ROYAL ACADEMY --NO LATER THAN THE BEGINNING OF OCTOBER-

-COURT MEMBERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED DURING MIDWINTER FEASTS-

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A boy stands in front of the tree, the hood of a cloak hiding his face. His hand slowly reaches out to grab the parchment.  A grimace works his way onto his face, as a dark red stain the parchment where he touched it. But that grimace turns into a predatory as he reads what is written there. He speaks, even if there is no one around to hear him. 

“First, I need to some new clothes.”


	2. Chapter 2

The day had come, and Vanya sat abandoned in her room. She was finally eight years of age, and according to her tutor and governess, finally of a suitable age to be in the public eye full time. At least, that’s the tradition for the House of Hargreeves. 

 

She could still scarcely believe it. Her, Hargreaves. It’s been a little less than a year since she first found out, and it still doesn’t quite make sense. 

 

Her mother was young when she had Vanya, but she was lower class. How and when she interacted with her… father was a mystery, but at some point, the talented young member of a dance troupe was with child.  The shame of wedlock and bastard child made the troop throw Tatonya out. 

 

Vanya knew her mother had a difficult life, and being pregnant with her more or less ruined her life. Her childhood was filled with dirty looks and whispered name calling, but her mother never left Vanya to feel her existence was a burden.  But Tatonya was strong. She withstood the abuse thrown on her, and eventually got a job at a local tavern, whose owner had pity for a single mother down on her luck. It didn’t pay much, but the two of them were happy together. Vanya learned to play music from traveling minstrels, and her mom watched on with a fond smile. 

 

And then she grew sick. The lack of food and no money to pay for a doctor all contributed to her mother’s illness. She grew worse and worse until, as Vanya watched the life slipped from her mother’s eyes, and her warm embrace grew cold. 

 

No one knew what to do with Vanya after that. The tavern owner wanted to keep her on as staff, but couldn’t afford to, and no one else in the village wanted to be near a tainted bastard child. Luckily, she never had to find out what would have happened to her. Not even a week after her mother’s death, a caravan of royal thundered into the town center and out stepped King Hargreeves himself. He stood above his bowing subjects, coolly observing their frantic whispers, and called out to them. “I seek the child of Tatonya Page. Bring her to me.” 

 

And with that, Vanya’s life was thrown into the chaos of nobility. A child pushed to the side by the world, suddenly thrown high up the social ladder. She went from struggling to have food on her plate, to having twelve-course meals on a daily basis. Needless to say, it was a jarring transition, and every free moment was sent with courtless tutors giving her remedial lessons for both proper etiquette, and bringing her education up to an appropriate level.  

 

It brings her to this day, staring out the window of the highest tower. Watching with bated breath as hundreds of noble children arrive on horseback and carriages to the front gate of the palace. Somewhere in that mob of people, are her ladies- or lords-in-waiting. A knock on the door drew her attention. 

 

“Come in!” 

 

“I believe the correct response, would have been ‘You may enter’. The door creaked open, and her father steps inside, her feet barely making a sound as they touch the floor. His nose scrunches up with disdain as he takes in her crumpled, plain dress. 

 

She can feel her face flush, and she murmurs an apology. Honestly, she had thought it was Grace knocking, or she would have rushed to make herself more presentable. She doesn't think her father has ever set foot in her room. 

 

 “No matter. Increasing your etiquette classes should help your continuous flow behavior.” His hand slapped in the air dismissively. “I came to personally warn you to be on your best behavior. The entire kingdom now watches you, and any mistake, accidental or not, will reflect poorly on your bloodline.”

 

 “Yes, sir. I will not let you down.” Her voice was meek, and her eyes were on the floor. As it was expected.  _ Polite and proper, Polite and Proper, A princess is of above all polite and proper _

 

“See that you don’t.” The king began to move, before pausing at the threshold of the door .“ And change yourself into something more… fitting of your station. You’re expected to help welcome our guests in less than an hour. You are a member of the Royal Family, not a common whore. ”

* * *

 

The main hall was packed once Vanya had made her way down there. She wasn’t really sure where to go, and her short height wasn’t exactly helping her see over the crowd of people. Her feet had been trodden on thrice already, and two twin boys had already elbowed her while they wrestled each other. 

 

Each second, the hall grew more and more crowded as additional children flooded in, each one carrying a large truck, and other luggage. Some were arguing with what looked like their parents, while others had already begun to make friends with the other children. 

 

She winces again, as a taller boy falls into her side, and it takes all her strength not to send both of them tumbling to the ground. 

 

“Whoa, there! Sorry ‘bout that, I get a little clumsy sometimes! You good?”

 

“No need to apologize. It was my fault, I should have been more aware of my surroundings. No harm down either. Are you alright?” She speaks slowly, making sure to enunciate each letter. 

“Yeah, Yeah, like I said. I’m clumsy, s o I'm sort of used to taking big falls. But hey! You saved me. My lady in…. “ He looks her up and down quickly. “Well not shining armor, but I’ve always liked lace better anyway.”

 

She gives him a polite smile and edges a few more inches away. 

 

“My apologies again, but I have to-” He interrupts before he can finish.

 

“Hey, do you know where we have to be?’

 

“Where we have to be?" She asks a bit uncertainly. Does he think that shes's....?"

 

“Yeah, like is there a check-in spot for us ‘contestants’. Unless you’re not actually here for that. Do you work here or something?” 

 

“Well, I-” Before she can finish, Dr. Pogo appears at her side, a hand falling on her arm. A bit of a relief. She had no idea how to explain this to the boy. 

 

“Miss Vanya. Your father is waiting for you. You would do well to not make him wait any longer.” She bows her head in compliance and lets the older man lead her away. Before she gets far, the boy shouts after her. 

 

“Nice to meet ya, Vanya! I’m Klaus, I’ll talk to you later!”

 

Pogo raises an eyebrow at her as they walk through the crowd. 

 

“Making friends?” A few stammered excuse escape her, all of which he halts by raising his free hand. “Calm yourself. It would do you well to have a few nobler connections. Maybe the boy will perform well in the competition. I know me and Ms. Grace would like to see you with a few more friends.”

 

They walk in silence after that, a small smile dotting Vanya’s face. Eventually, the two make it to a raised platform just before the grand staircase leading to the throne room. Her father stood there waiting, and she took her place slightly behind his right side, eyes lowered respectively, and hands clasped in a lady-like manner. Pogo, as Court Physician and Royal Steward, stood behind the two, with Grace next to him. All of them had their expressions schooled into one of the polite interests, with politically neutral smiles. 

 

Sir Reginald ignored the new additions to the dais, beyond an irritated glance. Vanya knew there would be a lecture later for her tardiness. He cleared his throat and stepped forward to the podium. A quick motion by Pogo and the bored looking teenagers surrounding the stage sprung to attention, and hurriedly put their instruments into place. Vanya hummed quietly along, as the notes to the anthem of Umbri flitted out of trumpets, and drums. 

 

The entire room quieted instantly, over a thousand pair of eyes turning towards the stairs with rapt interest. Once the song ended, Sir Hargreeves began his speech. Members of the Journalistic News Guild, picked up their quills, with their accompanying portraitists already sketching. 


End file.
